obeyed. He was devotedly attached to her, and
grateful for her goodness to him and his. This, perhaps, more than
anything, made him exercise self-control. He was more than ever careful
in hiding the key of the ruin, and would not allow even the other
gardeners to enter it on any excuse whatever.

Another reason for the calm which prevailed was, perhaps, that Marjorie
and Alan were fully occupied in trying to discover why Thomas was making
so much effort to get into the ruined summer-house. It seemed a
delightful thing to be mixed up in a mystery, and each hoped to have a
share in solving it. Such a puzzle made constant private talks
necessary, in order to think out a clue. Estelle took an almost painful
interest in their conjectures, but shrank from all part in their
wanderings round the ruin, or down to the cliff walk. Alan had shown
Marjorie where the secret entrance to the cave was, and called it the
Smugglers' Hole, for want of a better name. Together they had penetrated
to the foot of the slippery, broken steps. Each had carried a bicycle
lamp to make their footsteps clear, and great was the rejoicing when
they finally arrived at the sandy beach of the bay.

But the young, active spirits were too restless to remain long there,
where nothing was to be gained by lingering. The cave itself was more
full of interest than the beach, and they devoted the remainder of the
afternoon to hunting about among the crevices and chasms, and peeping
into gaps and fissures till they almost forgot the time.

(_Continued on page 114._)

[Illustration: "'Children ought not to be about when there's serious
work going on.'"]

[Illustration: "The daylight was streaming through a great opening."]

THE GIANT OF THE TREASURE CAVES.

(_Continued from page 111._)

When at last Alan and Marjorie had turned their steps homeward from the
cave, and had climbed the greater number of the rough steps, they came
quite unexpectedly upon a most important discovery--one which, without
their lamps, would have entirely escaped their attention.

They had reached a sort of landing, when Alan, looking keenly at the
rocks, suddenly perceived a narrow opening, almost entirely concealed
behind a projecting spur of limestone. Calling to Marjorie, who was in
advance of him, and already some way up the last flight of steps, he
held his lamp high, and examined the gap till she joined him.

'There is something more than a mere attempt at a cave he